In the midnight hour
by TheLaughingOne
Summary: Just a little something to tide us over until 4.11. I can't stop thinking about Carrie and Quinn being the only ones left behind in Islamabad and the little moments of goodness that could happen because of that (in between trying to kill terrorists and avoiding capture of course).


So, I know I've been delinquent in updating my other CxQ story, but I'm having trouble concentrating on my Homeland when the real Homeland is so damn entertaining. Irregardless, I haven't been able to stop thinking about what could happen with Carrie and Quinn staying behind in Pakistan after everyone else has left. And while I can't wait to see what happens, I'm certain the show won't turn into my shipper fantasies, so I figured I'd just write it myself. This may just be a one shot or may turn into more - not sure yet. Either way, I hope you enjoy and please review! Oh and as always, I don't own Homeland and no copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

"Fuck me," he hissed.

Carrie saw the shadow of feet in the light coming from under the door as she heard Quinn's muted, deep rasp.

"C'mon, Quinn, just open the goddamn door," she ordered.

The locks clicked, the door flew open and Quinn grabbed her arm to quickly pull her inside the apartment before slamming the door behind her.

"That fuckin' mute, now he decides to talk," Quinn swore under his breath as he turned back toward the door to secure the deadbolt.

"Don't blame Max. He wouldn't still be here if it wasn't for you. Do you have any idea of how much danger you've put him in by convincing him to stay and help you?," she demanded.

Carrie's eyes flashed with anger. As Quinn turned to face her, she put her hands on her hips, taking her ready stance for the fight she was sure was coming. Quinn didn't disappoint.

"Oh, fuck that," he yelled back as he waved his right arm in protest. "I didn't ask Max to stay. He's pissed and he wants blood. And I don't blame him. I didn't convince him of a goddamn thing."

Then, Quinn stepped toward Carrie, his face now just inches away from hers as he demanded of her, "But more importantly, what the fuck are YOU doing here? You were supposed to be on a transport hours ago."

Carrie scoffed, "And leave you here on this suicide mission? Sorry Quinn, it's not happening."

Quinn turned his back to her and started to walk toward the kitchen. "Dammit, Carrie. I don't need your help. You need to go home."

Carrie crossed her arms in front of her. "Well, that's not really your call now, is it? Especially after YOU were the one that disobeyed my direct order to leave."

Quinn shook his head and then sighed as he took his seat in front of his kitchen table. The look on his face said he knew that arguing with her would be pointless, so he turned his attention toward the materials in front of him. "Did you at least bring what I asked for?," he demanded.

Carrie threw the small, black duffle bag she was carrying at Quinn. "Yeah, here's your goddamn C-4."

Quinn grunted a barely audible "thanks" and then opened the bag. He took out the C-4 and turned his attention to the materials carefully laid out on the table in front of him. Carrie watched him silently for a minute, as his quick, nimble fingers put into place the final remaining components of the bomb he was building. Quinn eventually glanced toward her with a frustrated look on his face and obvious annoyance in his voice, "Are you sticking around to watch?"

Carrie considered his question, figuring out the tact to take next. She then walked over to the table and pulled out the chair across from Quinn. After flipping it around, she sat down, leaned forward and crossed her arms on top of the chair back. She continued to watch as Quinn worked meticulously to complete his bomb. After a few minutes more, just as he was finishing the last step, she asked, "Quinn, what are you doing?"

"I think that's pretty obvious," Quinn replied in his monotone without looking up from his work.

Carrie's voice turned softer, "C'mon, you know what I mean. Why are you doing this?"

Quinn's hands stopped moving as he looked up at her. "They raised a Taliban flag over my head, Carrie. I can't abide by that."

"That's a bullshit reason and we both know it," Carrie challenged him. "Why are you really doing this?"

Quinn shook his head and then looked down at his hands for a few moments. As he raised his face to Carrie again, he took a deep breath. His voice was thick with emotion as he finally said, "He killed 'em – Fara and Alan and John and so many others. He killed 'em all." And then he paused for a moment before he added, "And he tried to kill you."

Carrie's face softened and she reached her hand out and placed it on top of Quinn's.

His voice regained his usual, steelier edge as he looked down to the bomb, now complete in front of him. "He can't win, Carrie. He doesn't get to kill everybody in our office and all our assets and god knows how many others once he gains control. I won't allow it."

"And I'm not asking you to. I want to nail Haqqani as much as I ever did. Fuck, more than I ever did. But this isn't the right way, Quinn. It's not safe and it's not smart," Carrie argued.

Quinn tried to pull his hand away, but Carrie wouldn't let go. She waited for him to look up at her. When he finally did, she held his gaze for a few moments and then softly pleaded, "I can't lose you too."

Quinn stared back, searching her eyes as if they held the answer to some puzzle he was trying to solve. Carrie began to softly stroke his hand with her thumb and gave him a small smile, not letting his eyes fall away from hers.

The look on her face was all too familiar to Quinn and he inwardly groaned when he saw it. He broke eye contact and abruptly withdrew his hand from hers. "Don't," he said.

Carrie's brow furrowed as she asked, "Don't what?"

Quinn frowned and said, "C'mon, Carrie. Don't try that shit on me. I'm not one of them."

Carrie visibly bristled as her voice grew edgier, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Quinn said plainly, "You know exactly what it means. I'm not gonna sit here and let you manipulate me to get what you want."

Carrie leaned back on her chair and narrowed her eyes. She objected, "I'm not trying to manipulate you. In spite of what you seem to think, I am capable of caring about other people, Quinn."

Quinn nodded and his voice tinged with sarcasm as he replied, "Okay, I get it. You care."

Carrie was indignant as she narrowed her eyes and spat out, "Fuck you, Quinn. No really, fuck you!" She glared at him for a moment before she added, "I care and you fuckin' know it."

Quinn paused for a moment and then his eyes softened as he agreed, "I do. I do know it. You just lost your entire team and you don't want to lose another…"

Carrie interrupted, "I don't want to lose you."

She stood up from her chair and paced back and forth for a moment. Then she looked toward Quinn again and said, "Look, I get it. You and I have had a rough go of it for a few weeks. You've been pissed at me for bringing you here. You've been pissed at me for Aayan and Saul and everything that has happened. But Quinn…, " she paused as she walked closer to him again, "You have got to know that you are the one person I trust most in this world. You've always been there and it really means a lot to me. You mean a lot to me. Please tell me you know that."

Quinn nodded as he said softly, "I know."

"Okay, so then believe me when I tell you that I'm not trying to manipulate you and I don't give a fuck about whether you're still on my team. I just need you to come home with me. I need us to get the fuck out of this country because if we don't leave now, we are completely fucked," she pleaded.

Quinn didn't say anything for a moment. A hopeful look started to spread across Carrie's face as he pushed his chair back from the table and stood up.

But then Quinn reached down, took the bomb and placed it into the black duffle bag that Carrie had brought. Unable to meet her eyes, he focused on the zipper as he said, "I'm sorry, Carrie. I really am, but I have to do this."

Carrie watched him, her eyes starting to fill with tears, as he reached for his baseball hat on the counter and shrugged into the tan jacket that had been thrown over the back of the chair. He could only look at her tear-filled expression for a moment before he looked away. As he threw the duffle onto his shoulder, he calmly directed her, "Just get on the transport this afternoon with Max and I will see you in a few days."

Then, he started to walk past her toward the front door.

Carrie said softly, "Peter, wait."

Her use of his first name stopped Quinn dead in his tracks and he turned back toward her.

Carrie pleaded, "If you do this, if you leave this room right now, I know it's going to be the last time I see you alive. I'm certain of it." She reached out and took his hand.

"Well, if you say so, it must be true," Quinn replied. Then he dropped the bag to the floor as he added, "So fuck it."

"Fuck wh-," Carrie started to ask but she didn't have time to finish her question before Quinn's arm was around her waist, pulling her small body up against his chest. He took a split second to enjoy the surprised look on her face before he leaned down and brought his lips to hers. For a moment, it was the softest of kisses as they both savored each other in this interesting new way. But then the hunger they had been suppressing for so long overtook them. Quinn pulled her closer, opening his mouth and deepening the kiss. Carrie reciprocated in kind, running her hands up his back and then tangling them in his hair as she devoured him. It was all tongues and lips and teeth smashing together for a few primal seconds.

And then Quinn abruptly pulled back. Still with his arms around her waist and her hands around his neck, both of them stared at each other as they caught their breath. And then he gave her a sad smile as he placed his hand on her cheek. "You're beautiful, you know that? I always wanted to tell you, but I never did. I really should've. You are so beautiful, Carrie."

Quinn then released her from his arms, picked up the duffle bag, unlocked the door and vanished down the hallway.


End file.
